Bath system, particularly for wheel-chair constrained disabled persons

ABSTRACT

A bath system is provided for domestic bathrooms especially designed for wheel-chair constrained disabled persons whereby the wheel-chair seat can be moved into a sit-down type bath tube and removed thereby by controls on a tub-side panel. Means are provided for filling and emptying the tub and generally for enabling a disabled person to bathe without aid.

[ 1 May 16, 1972 United States Patent Johansson 4/147 ...4/l85 L.....4/l85 S 2,888,683 6/l959Medlock.....................,.............. 2,968,814 l/196l Ashby, Jr.

3,040,335 6/ 1962 Gallman Segar...................................:....4/l45 Maling......

l-lans Arne Johansson, Treharadsvagen 40, Eslov, Sweden Dec. 21, 1970Primary Examiner--Henry K. Artis Attorney-Jacobs & Jacobs 22 Filed:

[2i] Appl. No.: 99,743

ABSTRACT A bath system is provided for domestic bathrooms especiallydesigned for wheel-chair constrained disabled persons 4 145 14 34 148,52 whereby the wheel-chair seat can be moved into a sit down type bathtube and removed thereby by controls on a tub-side panel. Means areprovided for filling and emptying the tub and generally for enabling adisabled person to bathe without aid.

R 5 8 l S 5 8 l L 5 0O 1 8 7 1 6 7 1 5 7 1 3 7 l "7 m3 "6 11 "hU mm7 a Lm4 d Ld i 1] I100 55 [l 10 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1959 Medlock............

BATH SYSTEM, PARTICULARLY FOR WHEEL-CHAIR CONSTRAINED DISABLED PERSONSThe present invention relates to a bath system intended primarily foruse in domestic bathrooms and particularly for use by wheel-chairconstrained disabled persons, and comprising a general-duty wheel-chairand, adapted to be installed in the bathroom, a sit-down bath tubassociated with control equipment adapted to be manipulated with aminimum of manual effort and mobility, i.e. for supplying temperatewater for bath and shower and for discharging the bath-water.

The object of the invention is to enable old people having weak legs, aswell as other persons, particularly wheel-chair constrained persons,completely without any assistance or only with slight assistance, toenter a bath and all by themselves, in a simple and effort-saving mannerby the aid of controls disposed within convenient reach, to carry outbathing and douching procedure in a satisfactory manner, and thereafterconveniently to leave the bath tub again, thus without any need oflifting the person in question into and out of the bath.

This object, according to the invention, is accomplished by thearrangements generally defined in the appended claims.

One specific embodiment of the invention will now be described indetail-by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing thesingle FIGURE of which is a perspective view of a bath system accordingto this embodiment.

The bath system illustrated in the drawing is intended, primarily, foruse at home by wheel-chair constrained motiondisabled persons. ltconsists of two separate main components, viz. (a) a wheel-chair l of anessentially conventional design and adapted for general use in the home,and (b) a sit-down bath tub 2 adapted to be installed in the domesticbathroom. The bath 2 is provided with a control equipment, the majorportion of which is installed within a control box 3, the latter being,preferably, mounted on lateral top edge of the bath tub 2 and having onits front panel readily accessible and easily operable controls 4,5,6,inter alia for supplying temperate water for bath and shower. Thecontrol equipment also includes means for tapping off the bathwater,such means, in this case, being in the form of a conventional bottomvalve 7 manually operable by a draw-chain 8. Tap-water pipes 9,10 forhot and cold water are connected to the control box 3 which latter isprovided with a suitably thermostat-controlled mixing valve 4. Alsoconnected to the mixer 4 is a flushing ramp 11 which is mounted on ahorizontally pivoted tubular carrier arm 12 and can be used for fillingthe bath 2 and at the same time douching the bathing person. Suspendedfrom control box 3 is also a conventional hand-shower 13 with its hose14. Further, the sit-down bath is provided with a stationary seat 15enabling the same to be used as a conventional sitdown bath bynon-disabled or non-wheel-chair constrained persons.

The bath tub 2 is suitably made of reinforced plastic material and iscarried on a steel-tubing chassis (not shown) having adjustable legs.The tub is built into an outer shell 2a made of enamel led sheet-metal.

In accordance with the present invention, the front or foot end of thebath 2 is provided with an opening 16 extenting from its top edge downto its bottom and throughout the internal width of the tub the width ofthis opening being slightly larger than that of the set portion 17 ofthe wheel-chair between the outer edges of the arm rests 18, 19 thereof.This end opening 16 can be closed off in a watertight manner by means ofa door 20 hinged at one side of the tub end so as to be horizontallyswingable. To ensure watertight sealing of the opening 16 in the closedposition of the door 20, the open end of the bath tub 2 is providedoutwardly of the edge of the opening 16 with a tubular, hose-like seal21 adapted, after closing the door 20, to be inflated with a pressurizedfluid, preferably water under pressure from the tap water pipes 9, 19through the medium of a manually operated relief valve (not shown). Thedoor 20 is arranged to be locked in its closed position by a suitablyautomatic locking device which in the present case is shown to comprisea plurality of spring-loaded latches 22 spaced along the vertical outeredge of the door and co-operating with corresponding latching notches 23formed in the opposed end edge of the bath tub 2. An unlatching rod (notvisible) provided with an operating handle 2 is mounted within the outershell 2. Thus, the locking device for the door 20 is of espagnolettetype and can readily be released by means of the control handle 24projecting above the bath-tub edge. if desired, the locking device 22,23 and 24 may be provided with a safety arrangement (not shown) which isso devised as not to be releasable for enabling the door to be openeduntil the bath-water in the tub 2 has been tapped off.

The wheel-chair 1 is composed of a movable chassis 25 of an essentiallyconventional construction, and a seat portion 17 which is detachablymounted on said chassis and comprises the aforementioned two arm rests18 and 19. The arm rests l8 and 19 may be provided on their undersideswith respective ones of two parallel horizontally extending rows ofbearing rollers (not visible), and provided within the bath-tub 2 aretwo corresponding roller tracks 26 and 27, respectively, extending alongeither sides of the tub and adapted to carry the chair seat 17 after thelatter has been released from the chair chassis 25 and has beentransferred on its bearing rollers onto the bearing tracks 26, 27 withinthe tub 2. The transfer of the seat into the tub is effected by thedisabled person, sitting in the chair 1, moving the latter backwards toa position close to the open end of the tub 2, after which by a couplingdevice not shown, the occupant of the chair connects the chassis 25 tothe tub, then releases the seat 17 from the chassis, and finally movesthe seat into the tub, until the back rest of the seat will abut therear end wall of the bath tub, the seat thus having reached the correctsitting position within the tub. After this, the bathing person willdisconnect the chair chassis 25 from the tub 2, the chassis being then,by any suitable mechanism, not shown, pushed away from the tub, or,alterna tively, the chassis 25 will merely be swung aside from the dooropening while remaining connected to the tub, after which the door 20 isclosed and locked in place and the tubular sealing member 21 is inflatedwith fluid under pressure. Then the bathing procedure can be carried outby operating the different controls, as required.

After bathing and tapping off the bath-water, the bathing person willrelease the locking device 22, 23 by operating the control hand 24, openthe door 20, operate the mechanism for returning the chair chassis 25and for interconnecting the latter with the bath tub 2, and move theseat 17 forward within the tub and over onto the chassis 25 by the aidof an ejector rod 28 (indicated diagrammatically). In this connection,the seat is preferably arranged to lock automatically to the chassis 25of the wheel-chair 1 and to be releasable therefrom only when thechassis has been connected in the correct position to the open end ofthe bath tub 2. After the seat 17 has thus again become connected to thechassis 25, or simultaneously with such interconnection, the chassis isdisconnected from the bath tub 2, after which the chair can be wheeledaway and utilized in the conventional manner.

The control equipment 3 of the bath 1 should be so designed as to beoperable in the simplest and most convenient way possible by the bathingperson, and for this purpose, according to the invention such equipmentpreferably comprises automatic means: (a) for disconnecting and ejectingthe chair chassis 25 from the tub 2 after the seat 17 has been releasedfrom the chassis 25 and has been transferred to the sitting positionwithin the tub 2; (b) for returning the chassis to the tub and againinterconnecting these components, after the door 20 has been openedafter bathing, and (c) for transferring the seat 17 into and out of thetub 2. Such automatic means are not specifically illustrated in thedrawing because the same may take many different forms, as will beapparent to those skilled in the art. It is suitable, however, that theautomatic operating system in essential items, at least be hydraulic innature, using the tap-water pipes 9, 10 as the source of fluid underpressure. Further a major portion, at least, of the operating membersfor automatic and other devices of the control equipment, also, forreasons of convenience, and in a manner known per se, should becollected to the control box 3 mounted on one longitudinal top edge ofbath tub 2.

The coupling arrangement for interconnecting the chair chassis 25 withthe bath tub 2 is suitably by latching elements which are arranged tolatch automatically upon moving these parts together, and to be releasedby a preferably, hydraulically operated actuator.

I claim:

1. A bath system for wheel-chair constrained disabled persons for use inbathrooms and comprising a general-duty wheel-chair and, adapted to beinstalled in the bathroom, a sitdown bath tub having associated controlequipment adapted to be manipulated with a minimum of manual effort andmobility for supplying temperate water for bath and shower and fordischarging the bath-water, comprising a front or foot end of the bathprovided with an opening extending from its top edge down to its bottomand having a width slightly larger than that of the seat portion of thewheel-chair, this opening a door adapted to close off said opening in awatertight manner and movably mounted on the bath tub, the wheel-chairincluding a movable chassis and a seat detachably mounted on the chassisand adapted, after the disabled person sitting in the chair has movedthe latter backwards to a position close to the open end of the bath tuband connected the chassis to the tub, to be released from the chassisand then transferred through said end opening to a sitting positionwithin the tub, and said control equipment comprising automatic means:(a) in the form of ejector means for disconnecting and pushing away thechair chassis from the tub after the seat portion has been released fromthe chassis and transferred to sitting position within the tub, (b)means for opening and closing and watertight sealing of the door, (c)means for returning the chassis to the tub and renewed interconnectionof these components after the door has been opened after bathing, and(d) means for transferring the seat portion into and out of the bathtub.

2. A bath system according to claim 1 wherein said automatic controlequipment is hydraulic in nature and uses domestic tap-water as thesource of fluid under pressure.

3. A bath system according to claim 1 wherein the manual controls of thecontrol equipment are assembled together in and on a control box orpanel mounted on one lateral edge of the bath tub.

4. A bath system according to claim 1 in which the seat portion of thewheel-chair is provided with a pair of arm rests, provided on theirunderside with respective ones of a pair of parallel horizontallyextending rows of bearing rollers which are arranged, upon transferringthe seat. to roll along corresponding runways respectively disposedwithin the bath tub and serving for carrying the seat.

5. A bath system according to claim 1 wherein the door or the open endof the bath outwardly of the edge of the end opening is provided with atubular sealing member adapted, after the door having been closed, to beinflated with a pressurized fluid under pressure supplied from domestictap-water through the intermediary of a manually operated relief valve.

6. A bath system according to claim 1 wherein the door is arranged to belocked in closed position by an automatic latching device of theespagnoletts type, which is only releasable when the bath tub has beenemptied of bath-water.

7. A bath system according to claim 1 wherein the bath tub is providedwith a stationary seat or bench to enable the same also to be usedwithout said wheel-chair seat.

8. A bath system according to claim 7 wherein the chair seat is arrangedto be locked automatically to the chassis of the wheel-chair and to bereleasable therefrom only when the chassis has been connected in correctposition to the open end of the bath tub.

9. A bath system according to claim 1 wherein connecting means forinterconnecting the chair chassis with the bath tub comprises latchingmeans adapted to lock automatically upon moving these two componentstogether and to be released hydraulicallg.

10. A bat system according to claim 1 wherem the bath tub is providedwith a flushing ramp mounted on a horizontally pivotable carrier arm andserving for filling the tub and douching the bathing person.

1. A bath system for wheel-chair constrained disabled persons for use inbathrooms and comprising a general-duty wheel-chair and, adapted to beinstalled in the bathroom, a sit-down bath tub having associated controlequipment adapted to be manipulated with a minimum of manual effort andmobility for supplying temperate water for bath and shower and fordischarging the bathwater, comprising a front or foot end of the bathprovided with an opening extending from its top edge down to its bottomand having a width slightly larger than that of the seat portion of thewheel-chair, this opening a door adapted to close off said opening in awatertight manner and movably mounted on the bath tub, the wheel-chairincluding a movable chassis and a seat detachably mounted on the chassisand adapted, after the disabled person sitting in the chair has movedthe latter backwards to a position close to the open end of the bath tuband connected the chassis to the tub, to be released from the chassisand then transferred through said end opening to a sitting positionwithin the tub, and said control equipment comprising automatic means:(a) in the form of ejector means for disconnecting and pushing away thechair chassis from the tub after the seat portion has been released fromthe chassis and transferred to sitting position within the tub, (b)means for opening and closing and watertight sealing of the door, (c)means for returning the chassis to the tub and renewed interconnectionof these components after the door has been opened after bathing, and(d) means for transferring the seat portion into and out of the bathtub.
 2. A bath system according to claim 1 wherein said automaticcontrol equipment is hydraulic in nature and uses domestic tap-water asthe source of fluid under pressure.
 3. A bath system according to claim1 wherein the manual controls of the control equipment are assembledtogether in and on a control box or panel mounted on one laterAl edge ofthe bath tub.
 4. A bath system according to claim 1 in which the seatportion of the wheel-chair is provided with a pair of arm rests,provided on their underside with respective ones of a pair of parallelhorizontally extending rows of bearing rollers which are arranged, upontransferring the seat, to roll along corresponding runways respectivelydisposed within the bath tub and serving for carrying the seat.
 5. Abath system according to claim 1 wherein the door or the open end of thebath outwardly of the edge of the end opening is provided with a tubularsealing member adapted, after the door having been closed, to beinflated with a pressurized fluid under pressure supplied from domestictap-water through the intermediary of a manually operated relief valve.6. A bath system according to claim 1 wherein the door is arranged to belocked in closed position by an automatic latching device of theespagnoletts type, which is only releasable when the bath tub has beenemptied of bath-water.
 7. A bath system according to claim 1 wherein thebath tub is provided with a stationary seat or bench to enable the samealso to be used without said wheel-chair seat.
 8. A bath systemaccording to claim 7 wherein the chair seat is arranged to be lockedautomatically to the chassis of the wheel-chair and to be releasabletherefrom only when the chassis has been connected in correct positionto the open end of the bath tub.
 9. A bath system according to claim 1wherein connecting means for interconnecting the chair chassis with thebath tub comprises latching means adapted to lock automatically uponmoving these two components together and to be released hydraulically.10. A bath system according to claim 1 wherein the bath tub is providedwith a flushing ramp mounted on a horizontally pivotable carrier arm andserving for filling the tub and douching the bathing person.